Sandra Tiidt

Yoga teacher

I started when I was about six or seven years old, as my Mum at some point was quite into the physical benefits of yoga. Then I stopped for a good couple of decades and started again just like that: I was lying in bed, feeling miserable for some reason or, most likely even without one, when I jumped up, flew out of bed, unrolled my partner’s exercise mat, put into YouTube “Yoga for beginners” and fell madly in love. It was love from first time and I’ve been practising six, sometimes seven days a week ever since.

Many months, many Yoga studios and Yoga festivals later, I was blessed to study from such amazing teachers as Zubin Zarthoshimanesh (direct disciple of B.K.S Iyengar), Kamal Singh (Ashtanga Yoga) and Tao Porchon Lynch. From these wonderful teachers I’ve learnt that Yoga can be very different, as it not only reflects life, but it IS life. Therefore my approach to teaching Yoga is such – it is taking time, breathing, acknowledging and honouring the body, the mind and the soul for what they are, without willing to change, interfere or harm oneself. Slowly washing, peeling away the layers of false identities that the society and we, ourselves, have imposed upon ourselves to find out who we really are and being truthful to it. It is waking up each morning feeling a sense of contentment and knowing that life goes on inside and outside of me. It is with each breath rediscovering the connection we have with the planet and the Universe. It is knowing, that you are taken care of because you are a part of the Creation. It is being aware of your actions and the consequences that they have. It is simply being.

I have been teaching Yoga at the Refugee and Migrant Network and in Sutton College since March 2018. I have also assisted in classes at Yoga London, where I obtained my 200 hrs certificate. Apart from that, I have been teaching one-to-one and run workshops on Vinyasa and Power Yoga in Tallinn, Estonia.

To sum this up, I would like to quote Sri Swami Satchidananda: “Yoga is not a philosophy to be followed with blind faith. In the beginning, it is true that confidence and trust are needed, but as you continue to practise, every step will bring more and more hope, greater and greater confidence.”

Timetable

Sunday11.00-11.45

Vinyasa Flow for Flexibility: Opening Tight Hips and Hamstrings

Vinyasa Flow style of yoga is characterized by stringing postures together so that you move from one to another, seamlessly, using breath. In vinyasa yoga, each movement is synchronized to a breath. The breath is given primacy, acting as an anchor as you move from one pose to the next.

The variable nature of Vinyasa Yoga helps to develop a more balanced body as well as prevent repetitive motion injuries that can happen if you are always doing the same thing every day. This class, taught by the talented vegan Yoga teacher, Sandra, will focus on developing flexibility in your lower body – hips, hamstrings and inner thighs.

Yin-Yang Yoga: Blending the Stabilizing and Dynamic Powers Within

The concepts of Yin and Yang originate from China in the ancient Taoists texts. Yin is a feminine, passive, cooling energy. On the other hand, Yang is the masculine, dynamic, warming energy.

It is believed that Yin and Yang complement and balance each other. This class, run by Sandra Tiidt, aims to combine the static nature of Yin Yoga and dynamic Vinyasa flow (bringing out the Yang) to provide you with both physical and spiritual practice. Join this journey of finding union between the opposites. Together we will tap into the female and the male consciousness, that resides in each of us, find the space within us where our inner warrior meets our inner goddess, energise with the firey energy of Shiva and cool down with the energy of Shakti.

The carefully selected postures in the class will warm the body, stretch and strengthen the muscles, lengthen the connective tissue (fascia) and encourage a balanced chi (energy) flow. The session will improve your energy and fitness while promoting relaxation and healing. What a wonderful combination!